6 fights the UFC needs to make
With a number of the UFC's divisions in flux for a variety of reasons, it behooves the promotion to restore order to those that haven't been ravaged by freewheeling champions (that means you, Michael Bisping and Conor McGregor).
Some marquee matchups may be the product of an unfortunate series of events (we see you, Khabib), others of the MMA gods' and fight fans' insatiable appetites for pure, unadulterated carnage. Either way, here are a handful of title eliminators and classics-to-be Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard should put in motion:
Cain Velasquez vs. Fabricio Werdum II
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Third time's the charm.
Velasquez and "Vai Cavalo" have seen two separate rematches fall apart since the latter submitted the former to capture the heavyweight title at UFC 188. Most recently, a date at UFC 207 that was scrapped just days prior when Velasquez was deemed medically unfit to compete by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
With Velasquez well into recovery from back surgery, Werdum still pining for the title eliminator, and Stipe Miocic set to defend the divisional crown against Junior dos Santos at UFC 211 in May, the stars are aligned for the pair of contenders to determine the next challenger.
Tony Ferguson vs. Nate Diaz
It's time for the UFC to pony up.
The brass will have to dig deep into its pockets to make this matchup happen, as Ferguson had to fight tooth and nail for a six-figure payday for an ill-fated title shot and Diaz - a proven draw - has been holding out for either a rubber match with Conor McGregor, a seven-to-eight-figure payday, or both. But fear not, WME-IMG, the guaranteed pre-fight trash talk and fight-night fireworks should be enough to bring a healthy return to the checking account.
McGregor is keeping his own counsel, and with one glance at their records, fight tape, and the lightweight rankings, Diaz and Ferguson are practically made for each other.
Robbie Lawler vs. Donald Cerrone
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These two were booked to meet last November in what would have made every Fight of the Year list, only for Lawler to pull out for undisclosed reasons. Even with both fighters coming off losses, leaving a clash between Lawler and Cerrone in limbo is downright sacrilegious.
Now that Lawler appears to have found a new camp in the Henri Hooft-led Combat Club and "Cowboy" has had a couple of months to rest his ever-active limbs, what better time to put the gears in motion for the surefire barn burner?
Alistair Overeem vs. Francis Ngannou
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If the UFC does indeed take another stab at a rematch between Velasquez and Werdum, Alistair Overeem would be the odd man out in the heavyweight title race, but luckily, tantalizing prospect Francis Ngannou is willing to help keep the ring rust at bay.
"The Reem" just dispatched Mark Hunt with a third-round KO earlier this month and has won five of his past six, while Ngannou has made short work of all five of his UFC foes, including former champion Andrei Arlovski. The 30-year-old is still a wee bit raw to be touted as a contender, and a date with a 58-fight vet in Overeem would go a long way toward accelerating his development. Book it.
Dominick Cruz vs. Raphael Assuncao
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"The Dominator" may have set his sights on a shot at regaining the bantamweight title he lost to Cody Garbrandt at UFC 207, but the bout simply wasn't close enough to merit an immediate rematch. In other words, Cruz is likely a win over a top-five foe away from redemption.
Garbrandt is set to defend against TJ Dillashaw later this year, but despite the abundance of talent in the bantamweight crop, a definitive challenger to the winner has yet to emerge. Enter Raphael Assuncao, a WEC alum who's won eight of nine and sits at No. 3 in the rankings. The 34-year-old just edged Aljamain Sterling in a razor-close decision earlier this year, and like Cruz, needs a statement win to make his case for a title shot airtight. A matchmaker's job doesn't get much easier.
Raquel Pennington vs. Sara McMann
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As is the case with its male counterpart, the women's bantamweight title picture remains nebulous.
Reigning queen Amanda Nunes appears destined to take on Valentina Shevchenko in a rematch, and the only remaining contenders on winning runs are Raquel Pennington and Sara McMann, winners of four and three straight ranked fourth and sixth, respectively. The only thing standing in the way of a title eliminator between the surging bantamweights is Pennington's recovery from shoulder surgery, expected to keep her out of action for the first half of the year.
If the 28-year-old's recovery goes as planned, McMann - who's willing to fight once more before getting a crack at the title - will be waiting in the wings.